Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire DANGER AT THE ZOO: Weapons Response Teams

Recently someone asked what kind of firearm was used to dispatch the gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo. In response I offer the following:


Last Saturday, Cincinnati Zoo officials shot and killed a 17 year-old western lowland gorilla after it threatened a toddler who had fallen into the moat surrounding the exhibit (the child was later released from the hospital basically unharmed). Aside from the sensationalism brought on by various media reports, I was curious about the policies and procedures in place to handle dangerous animal situations at zoos and animal parks around the world. Thankfully, zoos accredited by organizations like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums have ‘Weapons Teams’ trained to use deadly force in the event of an animal escape or to prevent death or serious harm.

Although the procedures followed by the ‘weapons teams’ are standardized, the firearms used appear to be chosen by the individual zoos and/or the leader of each team. Open source information points to a combination of 12 gauge shotguns and high-powered rifles being on hand at most major zoos.

The Cincinnati Zoo team armed themselves with four guns from a locked cabinet kept in the general curator’s office. One carried a 12-gauge shotgun. The remaining staff carried two .375 rifles and a 30.06 rifle.

Pittsburgh Zoo employees also train and qualify with local and state law enforcement agencies.

Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Stephen A. Bucar said police officers and zoo workers went through training immediately after the incident Nov. 4, 2012, when 2-year-old Maddox Derkosh was killed. Bucar said police don’t carry weaponry needed to bring down a large animal in the event of a similar incident. They don’t know enough about animal behavior to shoot an animal, he said.

Various standardized practices:

American Association of Zookeepers);

Weapons Team Management

1. Identify team members (need enough to always have two on duty at any time)
2. Identified program leader
3. Basic safety and marksmanship training with local law enforcement
Weapons selection and maintenance
4. Clearly defined eligibility and qualification requirements for team members and program leaders
5. Range qualification at least twice per year for everyone
6. Clearly defined weapons discharge criteria

Jungle Cat World, Ontario, Canada:

Radio Codes and Message Format

Code Red: Dangerous animal escape (eg- mature lion, tiger, etc.)
Code Blue: Hazardous animal escape (eg- bobcat, spider monkey, etc.)
Code Yellow: Non threat animal escape (eg- kangaroo, deer, etc.)
Code Green: Animal escape drill
All Clear: Self-explanatory (can only be issued by the Senior Keeper or Management)

The Shooter

Only the Director or Emergency Coordinator can issue the command to kill an escaped animal. The reason to do so are as follows:

1. Human injury or loss of life
2.Threat of human injury or loss of life
3. Animal has breached the parameter fence surrounding the zoo
4. Only individuals who have been trained and are authorized/licensed to use firearms may do so. They will have the keys to the locked gun cabinet.
5. Always make sure that firearms are on safety and handled with extreme caution. The use of a killing
weapon must always be tempered by the potential to endanger human life.
6. Whenever possible, the shooter should stay in a vehicle when approaching the animal.
7. Never run after the animal. It’s certain that you can’t outrun it. You will be out of breath, which will
not allow you to have a steady hand.
8. Make sure you have a good clean shot. Be aware of what is in front and behind your target.
9. If you must shoot, shoot to kill. If you do not feel you are capable of doing this, relinquish the
responsibility to another qualified shooter (if one is available)

Very interesting. I was wondering what rifle the experts would use to kill a 400 pound gorilla. I was thinking that the 30-06 would be up to the job. Even better the .375

With that many people around, you really need a good and proper stopping rifle. Sure the '06 will kill anything in any zoo, but it's not a stopping rifle for dangerous game. I'm thinking 9.3x62 would be absolute minimum.

I bet the Tackleberry's were falling over themselves trying to get a shot on that gorilla.


CODE RED, WE HAVE A CODE RED!!!




Dave

you'd want something big and slow that wouldn't overpenetrate. (i resemble that remark btw) probably a 12 gauge slug in a real accurate rig.

I once met a member of the response team at the Denver zoo. She told me that they use a 458 Winchester for dangerous animals.

Using a 458 Win for dangerous animals ,sounds, good. What about the zoo keepers? Are they up to shooting the 458? Accurately ? When they have a wild dangerous ,big animal on the lose in a urban setting ,it could do real collateral damage if they missed a few time trying to shoot said animal. This sounds even tougher than being a PH. You have panicked people running every where. You have a wild animal running around and a guy/ gal trying to shoot it. The training would be real interesting ,trying to give realistic scenarios.

A friend of mine shot Ruben.
He shot Jimmy, too.

He used 7mag deer rifle.

Jimmy needed killing. That was one problematic animal.
But the others were good beasts that I or any other idiot could have caged back up with an onion and an orange.

They followed me around like puppy dogs.

Primates are easy to work with if you use your noodle.

But sometimes you gotta shoot them.
Especially when there is sabotage involved.

Google royal zoo.
It was a heartbreak for all of us.

I worked hand in hand with apes.
For years.
What happened last week,and what happened in Royal were tragic , a crying shame, and totally avoidable.

I'm still pissed off.

I truly wonder how many of those highly educated conservators of wildlife are interested enough in firearms, shot placement and tactics to really understand it and train enough to be effective in a crisis. Obviously somebody made the headshot (and understood why that was the best option) on the gorilla so maybe it is a true priority for them and they really do prepare fully for such an event. Training with local law enforcement leaves me less than confident. I know a few cops and military that really are firearms people, but far too many barely know which end points outward.